Whilst all the masses are out there in the east at the annual McCool debauchery, they call it the Picnic, we are going to have our own little do here on Open Mike!! Be it the annual Aunt Mary birthday party or lets get round to Bill`s place, its time to get out the wicker hamper and a bottle or two of the frizzy stuff!! Prosecco, Cremant d`Alsace, the Bolly or a bottle from the Anderson Valley, but don`t try to drink them all at the same session!! There are plenty of choices out there so enjoy!!!

One bubbly some of us might be considering for the picnic is Prosecco! Over the years , this wine has come in for some criticsm and even some mirth but the ones I have sampled at a few tastings have been very good. I have found the following link doing a search on the `net. Lots of info!!

I'm set! It will be a fun weekend. Maybe some of the McCool bubbly notes might make it in here. The prosecco is chilled. I may have to do somethin' a little extra for this weekend. The wife and I just celebrated number 26 on Wednesday.

I have just thrown everyone out!! Not really a picnic, more of a get-together with the possee from nextdoor down the trail. A nice California bubbly seemed right for this lot!

WTN: N/V Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs, Methode Champenoise.

Colour is a light pink hue, quite small beads. Looks inviting here on the deck in the sunset.

Nose has a nice floral mousse from the bubbles. The ladies enjoy the "prickly feel". I have another word for it!! Cherry and strawberry and could be some tart apple here.

On the palate, I eagerly write fresh, lively, crisp, raspberry. Some bread dough and lots of strawberry mousse. Just a hint of RS, nice finish. Its a fun drink, the price is creeping up though. The blend of P Noir and Chardonnay works well here. They all like it but want me to open the bollyjolly I have ready!!

Bob Parsons Alberta. wrote:I have just thrown everyone out!! Not really a picnic, more of a get-together with the possee from nextdoor down the trail. A nice California bubbly seemed right for this lot!

WTN: N/V Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs, Methode Champenoise.

Colour is a light pink hue, quite small beads. Looks inviting here on the deck in the sunset.

Nose has a nice floral mousse from the bubbles. The ladies enjoy the "prickly feel". I have another word for it!! Cherry and strawberry and could be some tart apple here.

On the palate, I eagerly write fresh, lively, crisp, raspberry. Some bread dough and lots of strawberry mousse. Just a hint of RS, nice finish. Its a fun drink, the price is creeping up though. The blend of P Noir and Chardonnay works well here. They all like it but want me to open the bollyjolly I have ready!!

Food was cajun salmon kebabs.Cost was $29.00 Cdn

It's a nice sparkler, but as you note, the price keeps it from being a real qpr. I would buy it more often if it were $8 - $10 cheaper.

Yup, me too. I wonder how their PN is doing. Used to be one of my favs but at a recent wine show, I was very disappointed.
Might open the Chandon to compare. Two of my wine tasters from the Grill are returning to university and they are having a little do after work today. Any other good Calif Blanc de Noirs out there? What about Schramsberg?

****I think that the Seppelt Great Western Brut from Australia is one of the best QPR sparklers out there. Made from a blend of Chenin Blanc, Grenache, Columbard, good value at $16 Cdn. Has a soft creamy quality and a terrific crisp dry finish. Good reception wine if one is putting on a little spread!

I've been hearing rumours about a Loire bubbly becoming available in our monopoly, but still no sign of it, so I opened up one of my favorite cheapies. Considering the general pricing of wines here I would never have beleived we would see this sort of quality for under 20€ - hence my delight at it being under 10€!!!

Bisol Desiderio & Figli Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Brut NV 11,5% 9,75€

MoCool, here in the cold dreary north, stands for MoreCool [weather]. We had rain and thunder even today and temperatures have gone below 20 C. Not quite the circumstance to enjoy Prosecco - but enjoy it I did. I love Bisol. I tasted recently through a line up of their better stuff, but apparently the care they lavish on the pricier stuff also goes into this basic fizz of theirs.

The nose has all the true Prosecco aromas of pear, white flower and minerals. The fizz is elegantly sized and intense. The palate is fruity but very dry and very mineral, but is not tart thanks to the fruit. Very long and pungently mineral aftertaste.

Lovely stuff. Charred salmon on a spinach pasta was the dish and it worked well. I find the minerality of spinach hard to pair with any wine, but here it seemed to go well.

I don't drink wine because of religious reasons ... only for other reasons.

Decided this evening to open a couple of splits as it was nice and warm. Had a guest over who like her bubbles so the timing was right on. Life does not get better than this, we all agreed!

N/V Ruggeri Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Gold Label.

Persistent small bubbles rise straight up and lots of them too! Colour is a pale to medium straw and looks inviting. On the nose, floral, apple and pear which is more dominent after 20 mins.
Nice creamy mousse on the palate, soft acidity, refreshing and slight touch of sweetness. Pear, apple and hint of lemon. Not a big doughy, yeasty style and someone thought she found anise. Could be I guess??

The wine went well with a seafood risotto.
Cost was $13.00 cdn (half).

`04 Moscato d`Asti-Michele Chiarlo, Asti, Piedmont.

Not my first choice but was a gift a few weeks ago so now is the time to open! Just a tinge of lemon in the colour, nose is all orange and peach. On the palate, frizzante, quite delicate long finish. Very ripe fruits with peach and orange dominant. Sweet and zingy, not bad with an apple pie and butterscotch sauce.

Hey Bob, this picnic thread has created a lot of interest eh. I have a few still lined up.

N/V Nino Franco Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Rustico.

I wish forumites could see the terrific packaging here! Anyhows tasted not at a picnic but at a going away party for some staff at the Grill...the girls are going back to university. They will be missed, good wine geeks too!

This wine has to be more higher end I`d say, $20 Cdn. The colour is a pale straw and the nose shows lemon,peach, light dough, floral tones. On the palate, very bubbly I thought but lotsa flavour. Refreshing, good acidity, pear, green apple and zingy. Some found some peach and one thought honey. All admired my choice and said they would like to try some other labels. So they are hooked, if they stay away from the martinis that followed right after this wine!!

TN: Rebuli Prosecco - Opened at a picnic on Saturday night with lots of food and wine so little time to concentrate on the sparkler. Refreshing, lots of bubbles, fruit driven with a very slight touch of sweetness. My favorite prosecco out of many tried, $15, Kysela import. For a warm summer meal outside the Rebuli and many rose' are our go to wines. Interestingly most are Kysella imports, great value importer.
Walt

N.V. Banrock Station Sparkling Shiraz This is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine - I usually keep at least a few bottles handy. Blackberries, blueberries and dark cherries on the nose and palate, with a bit of pepper at the back of the mouth. Light, dusty tannins.

wrcstl wrote:TN: Rebuli Prosecco - Opened at a picnic on Saturday night with lots of food and wine so little time to concentrate on the sparkler. Refreshing, lots of bubbles, fruit driven with a very slight touch of sweetness. My favorite prosecco out of many tried, $15, Kysela import. For a warm summer meal outside the Rebuli and many rose' are our go to wines. Interestingly most are Kysella imports, great value importer.Walt

This Kysella outfit seems to bring in some nice wines!! Do they have a website...oh hum,off to google!!

Mike B. wrote:N.V. Banrock Station Sparkling Shiraz This is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine - I usually keep at least a few bottles handy. Blackberries, blueberries and dark cherries on the nose and palate, with a bit of pepper at the back of the mouth. Light, dusty tannins.

My wife and I like this one with fresh strawberries. Mmmm.

Great QPR, too. I can usually find it for about $12.

Hey, Mike good to see you here. Two forumites from Edmonton, we`ll have them all take notice now!! LOL.
How we doing with Mishy`s get together. Seems like a full menu, any date yet?

wrcstl wrote:TN: Rebuli Prosecco - Opened at a picnic on Saturday night with lots of food and wine so little time to concentrate on the sparkler. Refreshing, lots of bubbles, fruit driven with a very slight touch of sweetness. My favorite prosecco out of many tried, $15, Kysela import. For a warm summer meal outside the Rebuli and many rose' are our go to wines. Interestingly most are Kysella imports, great value importer.Walt

Good open mike this week, so far!!! Nice notes Walt. I am going to a very good bubbly tasting tomorrow so will post my impressions to close this one out. Can you imagine the length if all those wines tasted at McCool were posted here!!!

Helped out last night at a bubbly tasting downtown. Not really a picnic, more of a stand around and enjoy! 35 plus participants, mostly ladies, and quite enjoyable. They are all keen to come to an Albrecht Alsace tasting and try my sauerkraut garni later in Sept!!
8 wines were sampled and the highlights were the Sumac Ridge Stellar`s Jay Brut and the n/v Roederer (Anderson Valley). Always one of my favourites but has the price gone up! The sparkling Vouvray from Champalou was a disappointment for me, not enough going on, and I like the Prosecco from Col de Salici. A n/v Moet Chandon got lost in all the buzz going on, overpriced for what it is I thought and did nothing for me.
There was an intense sparkling shiraz from Peter Lehman, the" Black Queen", which received mixed reviews. I do not think many had tried a shiraz in this style before!! To finish up, the Cline late-harvest Mourvedre which is really going to go places, and the `03 Michele Chiarlo Nivole Moscato d`Asti which flew out of the store at the end of the tasting.

Bob,
I had three bubblies over the weekend. One was an American sparkler from the Biltmore Estate in NC. It was their Blanc d'Noir. I believe it's all pinot noir but I could be wrong. I also believe they truck the juice in from Cal. but I could be wrong there too. It was very good but not as good as the Henry Billot Fils Blanc d' Blanc Champagne or the Burgundy Cremant also a blanc d' noir were even better. I would give you more of a description, but it wasn't that kind of a night. Additionaly, my wife had a horrible allergic reaction to some Aussie port-style wine and we had to leave and pump her full of benadryl.
Cheers!
James